agitate

1 to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly this room could use a ceiling fan to agitate the stuffy air a bit Synonyms stir, churn, swirl, wash, whirlRelated Words beat, paddle, whip, whisk; reel, shake, wheel

2 to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy there's no need to agitate the patient about little things Synonyms disturb, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worryRelated Words aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex; bedevil, haunt, plague; abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerveNear Antonyms allay, alleviate, assuage; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiateAntonyms calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

3 to make a series of small irregular or violent movements set the washing machine so it will agitate for four minutes before going into the rinse cycle Synonyms shake, bucket, convulse, jerk, jiggle, joggle, jolt, jounce, judder [chiefly British], quake, quiver, shudder, vibrate, wobble (also wabble)Related Words rock, sway, swing; chatter, quaver, shiver, thrill, tremble; twitch; dodder, waver; flicker, fluctuate, flutter, oscillate, undulate, wave; beat, palpitate, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, pulsate, pulse, throb

4 to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion a question which has been agitated by the legislature time and time again Synonyms discuss, argue, bandy, bat (around or back and forth), canvass (also canvas), debate, dispute, hash (over or out), moot, talk overRelated Words review, speak (about), talk (about); broach, introduce, propound, raise, stir up; forge, hammer out, talk out, thrash (out), wrestle (with); chew over, consider, deliberate, weigh